Previously On

Hello
This is your weekly opportunity to chat about non-current TV. Anything goes! Please stop by and tell us what you're watching, what you've been thinking of checking out, etc. Closed canons or something currently airing that you're just behind on -- it's all good. :)
Some possible topics:
- What show(s) have you watched this week?
- What show cancellation broke your heart?
- 80's TV -- Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, or Magnum P.I.? (marry, shag, cliff or just talk about which is your favorite/least favorite)
Watch-Along: Show of the Month: WONDERFALLS (see the show-of-the-month thread below)

Watch-Along: Show of the Month: WONDERFALLS
This past week I re-watched a clip of episode 1x07 - the one where Millie shows up claiming to be the first woman to go over the falls in a barrel. I'd forgotten how utterly adorkable this show was. \o/
What scenes/episodes stand out for you?
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Sorry KITT, the General Lee is a cooler car.
and there's just something about the Magnum's 70's porno mustache....TV has always had a love affair with cars, hasn't it? Cars are sexy, sex sells? IDK.
How's your week been folks? I've been catching up a bit on Defiance and have watched the first 2 episodes of season 2. This season seems much improved over season 1, and I say that as someone who mostly enjoyed season 1. Anyone else watching this show?
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Yes! I just started watching Defiance a little while ago (because of an icon battle really) and I'm now up to the first episode of the second season. I'm loving this show and it's not a show I thought I'd be into at all.
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Before holiday I was marathoning Awkward, but now I'm not sure I even remember what was going on? I'll probably get back into it later. I was up to 3x05.
80's tv, I didn't watch any of those! I was more of a Get Smart/Muppet Show/all the cartoons kinda girl.
STILL HEARTBROKEN BY ALMOST HUMAN AND BELIEVE BEING CANCELLED
American Ninja Warrior
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I'm really enjoying Defiance, I'm kind of meh with The Originals, The Fosters is kind of cute and I'm loving my re-watch of Agents of SHIELD. Watching from the beginning after knowing what happens in the end, really gives a new perspective. I loved it the first time I watched it, but everything takes on new meaning now.
I've also been keeping up with True Blood, The Leftovers, Graceland, Masters of Sex and Manhattan.
Marry - Dukes of Hazzard - I kind of loved this when I was a kid.
Shag - Knight Rider - I wasn't that into it, but it was on in the house a lot.
Cliff - Magnum P.I. - I was never into that show and I'm not much for Tom Selleck.
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Nearly done with 'Frasier' and I don't want it to end. And now that I decided to ditch Hulu for Netflix, something possessed me to attempt rewatching 'Battlestar Galactica'. That show nearly killed me the first tie around. (Especialy since I began watching late and had to binge to catch up!)
What show cancellation broke your heart?
Not sure if this means current or from past years, but 'The Unit' and 'V'! Both were left in the middle of things and now I'll never know how the stories were supposed to end. How that drives me insane.
80's TV -- Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, or Magnum P.I.?
Never saw KR, had a crush on John Schneider for years and I enjoyed Magnum as well. Come to think of it... I think I had posters of both John Schneider and Tom Selleck on my walls!
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I've recently seen all of the episodes I hadn't seen before, and now the re-runs are back to the early years, which are also so much fun.
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(Frasier's love life really leaves me annoyed. Sheesh, how many women has he been with?! Pick one already!)
OMGGGG YESSSS
(and that's not even counting Frasier's love life in Boston before he moved.)
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Yegads, I don't even want to know what else went on with Frasier and women in Boston! I thought it was just me that was becoming so annoyed with it all. It's to the point where it's not even believable anymore. It's so often portrayed as oh, he's so heartbroken about this one and that one. But when there's been SO MANY, I just don't buy it anymore. Especially when he just breaks up with one, and the next moment is in bed with a new one! I can't even care about these women as a fan because we never get a chance to know them.
Why, oh, WHY didn't he just make things work with Lilith? Before this, when I'd catch an ep here or there, I'd scream just like characters would do when she walked in a room. I wasn't even sure why, since I barely knew her. She does provoke that odd reaction, LOL!
But honestly, now that I've come to know her a lot better, I don't find her nearly so bad. Dare I say it... I think I like her. I can see why they'd drive each other crazy. But at the same time they know and understand each other better than ANYONE else does. And when they are each in trouble, who do they call? Each other!
Also, I really didn't know anything about Bebe Neuwirth until now. (I have seen her on 'Blue Bloods'.) I found interviews here and there and was amazed at how brilliant she must be as an actress because she's NOTHING like Lilith. She's smiley and charming and adorable! I didn't even know she was a dancer! Saw some clips of her singing and dancing and my brain nearly exploded.
Also? I want a Niles of my very own.
/blabbering
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"Cheers" as a show never really appealed to me that much either, but I'd catch episodes with both Frasier and Lilith in them, and I loved them (this was pre-divorce for them, I believe, and I thought they were /adorable/ together. They somehow seemed to mesh together so well). Diane as a character never interested me--nor did I really like her relationship with Sam or how it was portrayed--but I loved when Rebecca came to the show, but yeah, I never had the inclination to watch Cheers from the beginning or in order.
Yegads, I don't even want to know what else went on with Frasier and women in Boston! I thought it was just me that was becoming so annoyed with it all.
The thing that annoyed me most on the show about Frasier and his women was that he'd break up with them over the silliest thing or there'd be some misunderstanding like when he was dating Daphne's lawyer and the lawyer would accidentally time him during dinner and that's the bill she sent him. I don't remember all the particulars of the ep but I believe Frasier sent her an email? I MEAN THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU TRY TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT IN AN EMAIL FRASIER YOU DUMMY. (It's like someone breaking up with you over a text, but then finding out you *didn't* get the text and then being all like, lolllz I didn't mean to do *that*.) Or there'd be long-distance issues. And what it brings to mind is that Frasier is neurotic when it comes to relationships. We're supposed to think Niles is the more neurotic of the two of them, but Frasier's neuroses are more subtle and insidious to him--I mean, he's always on the lookout for the *perfect* woman but she doesn't exist. And the women he's dated, though he's loved them and could've had something with them, he never really tries that hard to make things work with them because, again, it goes back to him searching for the "perfect woman".
OH MAN I HAVE SUCH LOVE FOR LILITH. I never got the reaction the other characters got because I loved her on Cheers and though she's presented as being a cold fish, I never found her to be that way? I guess I find a lot of myself in Lilith so I could understand her character and where she was coming from. I'd have loved for Frasier and Lilith to have gotten back together because, as you've said, they seemed to know each other so well and were there for each other.
I want a Niles of my very own.
A Niles of our own would be so lovely. :D
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I found it hilarious that Niles ended up being the most sane one of all!
And the women he's dated, though he's loved them and could've had something with them, he never really tries that hard to make things work with them because, again, it goes back to him searching for the "perfect woman".
Yeah, that's what annoyed me too. And that's why after a point I just didn't find it believable that he was really heartbroken over any of them. Or most of them, at least.
I'd have loved for Frasier and Lilith to have gotten back together because, as you've said, they seemed to know each other so well and were there for each other.
I'm just going to pretend in my mind that they did! They run into each other again at some conference and they both realize at the same moment (because they really are so much alike) - Why don't we give it one more try?
Screen fades to black. And they lived happily ever after.
It really must be so. Because seeing him in his beautiful but empty apartment after everyone left just made me cry.
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I think the motif of the show ended up being Frasier's terrible luck with women, but it got ridiculous by the end. I think they could've done it with one to two relationships a season - I'm sure it was more but that could be the irritation speaking.
Anyway! The question I was actually thinking of originally has nothing to do with Frasier himself - though I do like him except for the love life thing, or I wouldn't be able to watch the show. In my opinion he should've just gone with Alistair anyway... I recently saw a fic prompt for them somewhere and I'm attempting to write it.
Now for the question.
Did you think the show handled Niles/Daphne well overall? There's some things I have issues with (the leaving Donny at the altar part in particular), but I really thought that they did a good job of resolving the UST - it may be my favourite of all the ones I've seen get resolved, maybe because we got to see them working things out after. I could've done without Mel altogether, though. I'd love to hear your opinion, though.
The reason I asked where you were up to was to be sure I didn't spoil you on their getting together - even if you knew why, the Donny thing might've been a spoiler, you know?
FRASIER spoilers below!
Frasier's love life was so annoying. Toward the end I was hoping they were moving to him and Lilith ending up together,
I know! They do understand each other so well. And she really ended up not being such a bad person after all. You could tell they had genuine care for each other. You'd think that BOTH of them being psychiatrists, they could find a way to work past their differences. Especially since heaven knows their relationships with other people seemed to always be disastrous!
or even - though I vastly preferred their friendship - maybe Roz (I adore Roz), though it was so nice to see a couple on TV who remained friends even though they did have sex, though I could've honestly done without the sex.
Oh, don't even get me started on that rant. (And I love Roz too!) I had just finished thinking wow, we've gotten nearly to the end of this show and it's so nice to see a strong male/female relationship that didn't go that oh-so-predictable route. Next thing you know, I'm staring at my screen and wanting to throw things at it. It was thrown in there for no real reason, as it just ended up going nowhere anyway. So why bother? Ugh!
Diane and Frasier made more sense if you watched it all, but her guest appearances were so annoying I don't blame you for thinking that.
I've been so tempted to watch 'Cheers' just for all the past/background things. (And because I'm not ready to lose all these characters just yet.)
Did you think the show handled Niles/Daphne well overall?
Oh, I am so very, very torn on this! I adore Niles and I love Daphne too. I hate adultery in real life because it tears families and people apart. And I loathe it in fiction, because it's so often romanticized and treated like it's no big deal. It's always shown from the view of the people getting together, and not the person/people who are betrayed.
And so with Niles, even though his marriage to Maris was comedic at times, it was pretty heartbreaking as well. It's amazing how they created a character that we never see, and yet we feel like we know her so well! It was perfect that they never actually showed her. There's no actress on the planet who could embody all those insane qualities they described through the years, LOL!
I loved that he really did everything in his power to save his marriage. I loved that he only crushed on Daphne from afar. He did acknowledge that perhaps his obsession with Daphne affected his relationship with Maris. I think that's probably true. But it did seem he was the only one working on the marriage. And though it was hinted fairly often that he'd married her for her money, by the later seasons it seemed like he really did love her. And Maris is the one who ended the marriage through her affair, so I didn't have a problem with that. I think if she'd truly been remorseful and asked for another chance, he may have taken her back yet again.
But oh, goodness, the whole Niles/Daphne/Donny/Mel quadrangle was a mess in my view. Not only fro the character sense, but the writing sense.
Mel was annoying, yes. But she wasn't an evil person when we first meet her. She didn't deserve being dumped like that! But to make all the cheating palatable to the audience, they had to make her terrible at the end. That's why the drawn out thing with her holding on to Niles for show and for revenge. By the time the audience sees all her deliberately cruel manipulations, we hated her. Otherwise... how could we avoid hating Niles? What he did to her was awful. She did nothing to deserve it.
And of all the annoying romantic plots and subplots on this show, Daphne leaving poor Donny at the altar was the worst! I mean, do people really decide from one MOMENT to the next that they're they're in love and getting married and then oh, look! I'm really in love with someone else! Let's leave the poor guy at the altar, just like that. And it's all played for comedy?
Ugh! It's a good thing I binged this show in that regard. If I'd had to live with and simmer on all that in real time, I would've hated it all the more. At least this way... it just went by quickly.
I know how it is to be like Niles and love someone from afar. To finally have him get her would've made me so happy... if only it had not been done quite that way.
The reason I asked where you were up to was to be sure I didn't spoil you on their getting together - even if you knew why, the Donny thing might've been a spoiler, you know?
Yes, and thank you! Like I said, people really don't care about that these days anymore it seems. I've had times where I've deliberately asked people not to spoil, and they've done it anyway.
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That last episode she was in, when they were set up on a date, I kept thinking, yes, they could've done it and it would've even made sense. I think that's why I liked it, they went from "horrible and evil" to "not so bad". It's my headcanon that seeing she didn't end up with Frasier, she worked it out with Brent Spiner's character or found someone awesome.
There is much to be ranted about, yes. The thing was, apparently the abrupt change and it going nowhere, was to do with changing writers. Maybe there was an actual plan and it got derailed for that - that helps me accept it a little more.
I love Cheers for itself - and although she was annoying in her guest appearances, I loved Diane on Cheers for most of the run. Though her relationship with Frasier ends up in well... what we saw on the show.
I am too, though I do give adultery a slight pass in fiction, depending on how it's written. It kind of depends on so many things I can't even say why one version works for me where another doesn't.
I felt that too. I felt for Maris, even if she was an incredibly strange character. I think that's actually why they never showed her, they couldn't figure out who would play her.
I actually read a lovely fan fiction story about Daphne helping Maris get Niles back - it was a lovely what if.
I also feel, watching the early episodes - he did love her. People brush that aside, but he really, really did in the beginning. He tried to get her back, he didn't rush after Daphne when he could have, when she first left him.
The acknowledgement worked for me, too. I think it was one of those things where the break up of the marriage wasn't one single thing. I think he would have, honestly. I wonder if they'd ever really planned on Daphne and Niles getting together in the beginning, honestly, or if they might have kept it as his longing. That might have worked, if they had gone that way.
The quadrangle was such a mess in and of itself.
Yes on Mel. Just yes to all of it. And I will never not see Niles as an idiot for the impulsive marriage - though the show did think that too of course.
I really hate the timing of leaving someone at the altar in every single iteration I've ever seen, except maybe when the person being left is actually evil/coercing the person to marry them. That's not really, honestly, the same situation, though, in my opinion.
I do think Daphne had doubts - there was her questioning the night before (a much better time to have said something) but things kept interrupting her. While it's not an excuse, it does make sense, weddings are busy like that in RL.
I agree on that - I went through it fairly quickly myself, an episode a day in re-runs - so it's not like it was drawn out. It would've been so awful to watch it weekly.
I think I'm happy it happened, but not with all the execution, overall.
While I personally don't mind spoilers and seek them out sometimes, I definitely think it's beyond dickish to do it deliberately.
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Oh, see, I didn't know that. That makes sense.
Okay, I'm going to have to watch the finale. At least... the first part.
I'm going to miss Frasier's apartment. I love how everyone just drops in!
***
I'm done. And yep, I cried.
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I love it too, and I love his apartment.
Me too. Both times so far. If it gets to run all through, we'll be going for three.
But... given the show... did you wonder if they were going to last minute hook him up with Jennifer Beals too? Especially before the announcement of where they landed?
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It did cross my mind!
And I guess I was so caught up in the sadness of watching everyone go their separate ways, everyone crying for the completely wrong reason and then for the right reason, AND THE HIDEOUS CHAIR being taken away (!!!) that it never occurred to me he was going to Chicago and not San Francisco. That was a total shock!
Not sure how I feel about that, really. If there hadn't already been sooooooooooo many women, and if this relationship had been given more time to develop (thought compared to some, I guess it did), it would've had more emotional impact for me. I quite liked the original plan, in a new city with a sure job. Thanks, Bebe!
Speaking of Bebe, I never realized how much I adored Harriet Sansom Harris until now. She had a guest bit on the X-Files that was unforgettably creepy. Dhe was unforgettable here as well, though I guess for different reasons!
Despite all of Frasier's faults, I do love the guy. I cried when I saw him alone in his apartment. And see? Who does he call right away? LILITH! Ugh, those two.
I hope he and Charlotte make things work. He deserves a happy ending too.
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it was sad, yes. Oh god that chair. I kind of love it and hate it equally.
I'm not sure either, but I think it works well enough to hope this was it.
I loved Bebe! I remember her on X-Files too, yes. She was amazing and made the character just relatable enough without losing the edge.
I love him so much, really. That was sad and of course.
I hope so, and I think if they didn't, honestly? He and Lilith meet up at another Frederick event and give it a chance. They have to.
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I'm totally with you. They must.
Thanks for walking me through the end! It's such an old and relatively under-the-radar show that I didn't think anyone loved it as much as I ended up loving it. (Though people must have, since it was on 11 years! I was just late to the party, as always.)
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I'm glad to have someone to talk with about it!
I also have to admit to a lot of love for the episode with Alistair. It also makes the X-Men movies very amusing in retrospect.
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http://www.tvrage.com/Frasier/episodes/64537
Or am I missing another ep somewhere?
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Also if you handled the jokes about Gil and the jokes from Martin over the entire series, I honestly think it's not any more on the nose than those.
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I'm a big Power Rangers fan, so I decided to try out the Japanese versions that supposedly Power Rangers steals some of its footage from. Currently watching Tensou Sentai Goseiger, after finishing Samurai Sentai Shinkenger and Gogo Sentai Boukenger. I'd highly recommended it if you love foreign tv and giant robots and heartwarming characters.
- What show cancellation broke your heart?
This is not a recent cancellation but PUSHING DAISIES. >;<
New cancellations that broke my heart: Almost Human, Enlisted, and Surviving Jack (none of these shows made it past the first season...)
- 80's TV -- Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, or Magnum P.I.? (marry, shag, cliff or just talk about which is your favorite/least favorite)
I'm a 90's girl and though I know all of these shows via fandom osmosis, I haven't watched any of them so I don't have a fave/least fave really.
That being said, I'd prob. cliff Knight Rider, marry Dukes of Hazzard, and shag Magnum P.I. (I love Tom Selleck).
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Two more episodes of Fringe season two for
- What show cancellation broke your heart?
I loved Awake. I thought it was well-done, compelling television. I liked Last Resort a lot. I suppose at the time, I was very upset about Firefly. Farscape was a hard one to lose. EDITED to add: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Yeah, I'm still pretty steamed about that one. Talk about a cliffhanger! Fox is the worst!
I think one of the reasons I'm so loath to commit to watching television series now is how quickly they can get cancelled. I don't want to risk getting attached and having something I care about disappear. It's not worth the aggravation. I do think that even the most successful American series overstay their welcome by several seasons. Most dramas would benefit from having a clearly defined endpoint already in mind. And no series needs, let alone deserves, seven, eight, or nine seasons to tell its stories.
- 80's TV -- Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, or Magnum P.I.? (marry, shag, cliff or just talk about which is your favorite/least favorite) Well. I don't think I've seen even one episode of Knight Rider or Dukes of Hazzard. Magnum P.I. was set in Hawaii? I like Hawaii.
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I am the same way! Then I gave in and tried 'V'. And, of course, I got burned big time. NEVER AGAIN!
I do think that even the most successful American series overstay their welcome by several seasons. Most dramas would benefit from having a clearly defined endpoint already in mind. And no series needs, let alone deserves, seven, eight, or nine seasons to tell its stories.
Agreed on all points. It's difficult to think of a series that actually got better after say, 5-6 seasons. Most of the time you can just tell the writers are reaching for ideas and the actors are just tired. I think 'Supernatural' has hung on pretty well, but PLEASE let S10 be the end already! That show can be so depressing that I'm dreading whatever torment the characters are going to go through this time around.
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The show cancellation that will always break my heart is Time Trax, an early 90s SF show.
Marry Knight Rider (had such a crush on David H back in the day), shag Magnum (and Rick), cliff DoH only because it never ran where I was.